Jackson’s underwear and hand-written notes seized by prosecutors

UNDERWEAR worn by Michael Jackson and some of the singer’s hand-written notes were among items, now owned by a businessman, to have been seized by prosecutors in his child molestation case.

Robert Honecker, a New Jersey prosecutor, confirmed that his office took the items from Henry Vaccaro’s warehouse several weeks ago but declined to say why the items were sought.

Honecker said the items were turned over to California authorities, who returned later to pick up additional memorabilia that Vaccaro, a construction company owner, won from the Jackson family in a legal wrangle over a failed business venture.

Vaccaro said he found the white Calvin Klein briefs in the bottom of a wardrobe containing several of the pop star’s costumes.

Vaccaro said he was told that authorities plan to use the underwear for DNA comparison.

The trove of memorabilia included two hand-written notes, apparently from Michael Jackson, and a light-hearted list of ‘rules’ written by a youngster who knew Jackson from staying at his 2,600 acre Neverland Ranch in Santa Maria, California.

One of the hand-written notes was addressed, “Dear Rubbers,” the term he reportedly used for boys who stayed at the ranch. The note bade them farewell and was signed, “love MJ”.

The other note was addressed to his brother Tito’s former wife, Dolores, who died in 1994. The note urged her to read a newspaper article on child molestation to her children and said, “even your own relatives can be molesters,” Vaccaro told The Star-Ledger newspaper Newark.

The collection also included gold-trimmed costumes, financial documents, letters, awards and one of Jackson’s first outfits, worn with the Jackson 5. Vaccaro said he has since sold the remainder of the memorabilia for an undisclosed sum to an unidentified European buyer.

A lawyer for Jackson is seeking a court order to have the memorabilia returned, and Vaccaro said a court date is set for June.

Jackson pleaded not guilty on Friday to a grand jury indictment that expanded the child molestation case against him to include a conspiracy count involving allegations of child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.

A spokesman for the Santa Barbara, California, district attorney’s office wouldn’t comment on the New Jersey seizures, citing a protective order issued by the judge presiding over Jackson’s case in California.